A running track renders distance in 3d
An interactive installation powers a 3 day virtual running track on a pc screen.
The project
An interactive installation connected a treadmill to a video game for Décathlon during a retail activation. The system was required to synchronize each physical stride with the virtual course while automating prize distribution. The studio developed the application in Unity, interfacing it with the treadmill's sensor to calculate distance in real time. The setup operated for 23 active hours over 3 days and distributed 42 programmed prizes.
- Event activation
- Interactive installation
- Prize game
- Retail activation
- Game / real-time dev
- Electronics & sensors
- Software / web dev
- Unity
- Game design
The challenge
The goal was to link real physical effort to a virtual world with zero latency. Every mechanical pulse had to synchronize the runner's stride on screen, while integrating the strict and automated awarding of physical prizes without requiring the constant presence of a host at the booth.
The approach
The visitor steps onto the treadmill. From the very first strides, a physical sensor transmits three meters per pulse to our Unity application on PC, displaying the distance to the thousandth of a kilometer. The virtual speed mirrors the runner's actual pace. Upon stopping, the system switches to a contest draw, displays the prize screen for 30 seconds, and then resets itself automatically. If no one steps on for five seconds, a video loop resumes playback. We managed the software deployment remotely for this event activation.
Results
The setup operated without interruption throughout the 3 days of activation, totaling 23 hours of operation in-store. The system smoothly distributed the 42 scheduled prizes, with no technical blockages or sensor lag.
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